Web perforating and folding mechanism



July 16, 1929. NO VICK WEB PERFORATING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed June16, 1927 s Sheets-Sheet July 16, 1929. A, NOVfCK 1 721, 85-

I WEB PERFORATING AND HOLDING MECHANISM Filed Juhe 16, 1927 sSheets-Shet 2 I, I! I9 fig. 4.

A No meys July 16, 1929. ov c 1,721,085

WEB PERFORATING AND FOLDING MECHANISM Filed June 16, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet3 Inventor Patented July 16, 1929. i

llhll'l PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM NOVICK, GE FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR TO IE. L. SMITHE MACHINE60., INC., 01-? NEW YORK, IN. 33., A CURPORA'IION OF NEW YORK.

W'EB PERFORATXNG- AND FOLDING MECHANISM.

Application filed June 16, 1927. Serial No. 199,285.

This invention relates to the formation of along a transverse line butin extended conpacks of folded material, and more particudition; andlarly to means for forming packs from super- F 1g. 12 is a. View showingthe plurality of imposed plies or webs of suitable material,superimposed plies with transverse lines of 5 such as paper, with flatfolds so that each perforations but 111 extended conditi pack will becompact and of substantially the Referring to the drawings, it will beseen same thi k th -1 5, that mcarrymg out the invention according Thgeneral bj t f th i ti i t to the 1llustrative embodiment of the packidmeans f f i h fl t cempact forming means, the material 15 in the form 10packs, which means are effective in operation, of a web or a pluralityof superimposed webs simple in structure and economical to manu- Oi papr, for eXample, is fed downwardly bef t tween feed rolls 16 and 17 toand through per- A th bj t. f th i ti i t forating and folding mechanismby which vide pack-forming means in which a pluthe material isperforated first from one side 15 rality of superimposed plies ofmaterial are by a toothed blade 18 engaging the material perforatedalong transverse lines at suitable a that side and forcing it against apresser i t l d f ld d i fl t, f ld fi st member 19 on the oppositeside, which serves i one di ti d th in th th r at as a platen or anvil,and the material is then cessive lines of perforation so as to lie flatgripped on opposite sides of the blade and 20 in the resulting pack.folded thereover by jaws 20 at opposite sides The invention will beunderstood from the of member 19, which aws also hold the foldfollowingdescription taken in connection ed material during the separation of theknife with the accompanying drawings in which and member and swing thematerial to one Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the main porside forpack-forming, and then areoperated tion of a machine embodying one formof the to release the material.

i ti x The same operation is then effected with Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view in the arrangement ofv the blade and presser a planeperpendicular to the-plane of Fig. 1; member reversed and suchoperations are re- Fig. 3is adetail view illustrating two jaws peatedalternately at opposite sides of the so and parts for operating thesame; material to produce fiat folds, thereby facili- Fig. 4 is asectional view illustrating the tating the cross-folding of the web andthe position of certain parts as a blade and presser collection of thevarious sections in flat fold- 3 member come together to form atransverse ed form in a compact pack on a' support berow ofperforations, thej aws being retracted; low the perforating and foldingmechanism Fig. 5 illustrates the relation of the parts as illustrated inFig. 9. Ordinarily the more when they have advanced far enough fromfolding of a plurality of superimposed webs their positions in Fig. 3 topermit the jaws or plies produces a pack or pile which is to close;thicker'at the edges where the folds appear Fig. 6 is a view taken alongthe line 6-6 of than between such edges. In forming such 40 Fig. 2,parts being broken away to show the packs or piles according to thepresent invenunderlying structure; tion, however, the provision of linesof per- Fig. 7 is a view taken along the line 77 forations at the foldlines enables flat folds of Fig. 2; and compact packs to be obtained andpartic- Fig 8 is a detail view on a larger scale ularly so in view ofthe pressing action of the 45 of a portion of a perforating blade; aws20 at said fold lines.

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the formation As illustrated in Figs. 1and 2, the perof a pack as the material passes down through forating andfolding mechanism comprises the perforating and folding means; twoshafts 21 and 22 having reduced ends Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view on alarger ournalled inside bars or members 23 and 24 50 scale illustratingthe appearance of the edge of a frame including ends 25 to retain theside of a fold as seen from above; members in fixed relation. Mounted onthe Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view showing on shafts 21 and 22 are twogears 26 and 27 rea larger scale the material after perforationspectively which mesh with each other and are of the same size and shapeso as to cause the rotation of the shafts 21 and 22 at equal speeds in oosite directions. The actuation of these shafts may be effected byapplying power to shaft 21.

As here shown, each shaft 21 and 22 carries one blade 18 and one platenor anvil 19 at opposite sides of the shaft and these knives and blocksare so arranged that when the shafts are rotated, as indicated in Fig.2, a blade carried by one shaft will engage the corresponding platencarried by the other shaft and this action will be reversed when theshafts have turned through 180. At each perforating operation, thematerial is folded and as the folds are effected alter nately fromopposite sides, and the material is swung from side to side, thematerial tends to form, as illustrated in Fig. 9, a compact, flat-foldedpack. It should be understood that a plurality of blades 18 and aplurality of blocks or anvils 19 may be provided for each of the shafts21 and 22, and that a suitable rate of feed of the material may beobtained by rotating the feed or guide rolls 16 and 17, at a surfacespeed corresponding to that of the knives and platen strips.

Each knife 18 is mounted in a bar 28 of which the ends are guided forradial sliding in grooves 29 at the inner sides of members or bars 30 onone of the shafts 21 and 22 and the platen or anvil 19 of thecorresponding shaft is mounted in a bar 31 slidably guided in grooves 32at the inner faces of the bars 30 and at the ends opposite to thosecarrying the knife 18. Jaws 20 are provided at opposite sides of each ofthe bars 31 and are pivoted in the bars 30, these jaws being formed withengaging portions arranged to extend around the outer edge of the bar 31for engagement beyond the outer face of the platen or anvil 19. Eachplaten is in the form of a relatively narrow strip and may be of anysuitable material such, for example, as celluloid which is suflicientlyresilient and presents a surfacewhich is not easily broken by the teeth,of the perforating blade.

The pivoting of the aws may be effected by pivots integral therewith andoperatively connected together by gears 34 thereon adjacent one bar 30,and at the other end of the jaws one of the pivots 33 may be providedwith an arm 35 connected by a tension spring 36 with an arm 37projecting from the corresponding bar 30 so as to enable the applicationof the tension of the spring 36 in the proper direction to close theaws. Mounted on the other pivot 33 adjacent the same bar 30 is a curvedcam or arm 38 by which the jaws may be opened by engagement with pins 39and 10 projecting from a member 11 attached to the bar 23.

As shown in Fig. 2, the blade 18 carried by the shaft 22 has alreadyacted against the platen 19 on the shaft 21 and the material has beenfolded by the jaws 20 adjacent this platen and withdrawn from such blade18. Upon further rotation of the shafts 21 and 22 in the directionsindicated, the jaws 20 on the shaft 22 will be opened by engagement ofthe arm 38 with the pin 39 and the blade 18 on the shaft 21 will beengaged by the platen or anvil 19 carried by the shaft 22, thusproducing a line of perforations across the material 15.

As the shafts continue to rotate, the cam or arm 38 will ride off thepin 39 as indicated in Fig. 5 and the jaws 20 will swing together beyondthe block 19 to fold the material over the edge of the blade 18. As theshafts 21 and 22 continue to operate the blade 18 will be withdrawn fromthe jaws 20 as indicated in Fig. 9, the fold of the web remaininghowever in the grip of the jaws 20. As, however, the shafts continuetheir rotation, the material will be shifted somewhat to the right bythe jaws until the cam or arm 38 engages a pin l0 and the jaws are againmoved apart to release the fold of material gripped therebetween. Duringfurther rotation of the shafts 21 and 22, the cam or arm 38 will rideoff the pin 40 and the jaws will close and remain in such conditionuntil the corresponding cam or arm 38 again engages the pin 39. Uponfurther rotation of the shafts 21 and 22 the blade 18 mounted on theshaft 21 will engage the platen 19 mounted on the shaft 22 and theoperation will be repeated in exactly the same way except that the foldin the material will be in the opposite direction.

It will be evident that the bars 30 and the two shafts 21 and 22 must beso positioned that each blade 18 will engage the platen or anvil carriedby the other shaft. To assure such cooperation between the knives andblocks, it is desirable to provide some means for angular adjustment. Tothis end each shaft is provided as indicated in Fig. 2with depressions42 adapted to receive the inner ends of screws 43 threaded through thecorresponding bars 30. It will be apparent that by loosening one screwand tightening the other, a slight relative rotation of each arm 30 onthe shaft 21 may be produced. The arms 30 on the shaft 22 may beadjusted in position thereon in the same manner.

As each knife 18 strikes the corresponding platen or anvil 19 there maybe side pressure on the blade 18 and to avoid the possibility of troubleresulting therefrom, each blade 18 is mounted in a groove of greaterwidth and thickness than the blade and the rear edge of the blade restsin a narrow groove in which position it is held by means including a-setof screws 44 passing through the rear wall of the member 28 and throughperforations in the blade 18 and threaded into the bar 28. Mounted onthe shank of each of these screws 44 is a helical spring 45 interposedbetween the head of the screw and the blade 18 to hold the latter inproper position while permitting yielding thereof when required.

It will be evident that the blades 18 and the blocks 19 must be adjustedcarefully to obtain suitable engagement throughout their lengths and tothis end each bar 28 is provided with a series of screws46 screwed intothe rear edge thereof but having their heads resting against the shafts21 or 22 as the case may be, so that by turning the screws in onedirection or the other the proper adjustment may be obtained. Suchadjustment of the screws 46 may be maintained by means of lock-nuts 47.The setting of the screws 46 merely determines the minimum spacing ofthe bar 28 from the shafts but outward movement of the bar may beprevented by means of screws 48 passing through slots 49 in the bars 30and threaded into the bar 28. Obviously, by tightening the screws 48after an adjustment, the bar 28 will be clamped in adjusted position.Adjustment of each bar 31 may be ob tained in the same general manner bysupporting screws 50 provided with lock-nuts 51 and by clamping screws52 extending through slots in the bars 30 and threaded into the ends ofthe bar.

Preferably the teeth 18 of each blade 18 are rather broad and haverelatively narrow gaps therebetween, as indicated in Fig. 8, and theperforated material 15, which may include a plurality of superimposedplies 15}, appears in extended form as indicated in Figs. 11 and 12, andin folded form as indicated in Fig. 10. It will be evident that thepaper, when perforated as indicated in Figs. 10 and 11, will beconnected across the fold lines only by narrow strips 15 and thesestrips will offer very little resistance to folding along such foldlines thus enabling a much sharper and flatter fold to be obtained thanby former methods.

Cross folded packs of superimposed webs of paper are of value fordifferent purposes, as for example in making simultaneously a pluralityof copies of an invoice or statement, and a flat-folded pack such asobtained by carrying out the present invention is especiallyadvantageous in that it is compact and therefore does not require somuch space, and furthermore is not liable to become disarranged.

It should be understood that various changes may be resorted to withinthe scope of the invention and that portions of the improvements may beused without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the class described including means for forming at asingle station successive fiat perforated folds alternately in oppositedirections in a multiple-ply web fed downwardly therethrough, and meansfor causing the material passing downwardly from said forming means tocollect in crossfolded pack form.

2. A device of the class described including means for forming at asingle station successive flat transverse perforated folds insuperimposed webs of paper alternately in opposite directions, and meansto guide said webs into position for action thereon by such fold-formingmeans.

3. In combination, means for perforating a multiple-ply web at aplurality of points in each of a succession of transverse lines acrossthe web, and means for creasing said web into a fiat fold along eachline of perforation concomitantly with the perforating action andalternately in opposite directions.

4. In combination, a toothed device, a platen member to cooperate withsaid device to perforate along transverse lines superimposed webspassing through the device, means for moving said device and platenmembers toward and from each other, and folding means for engaging saidwebs on opposite sides of a line of perforations substantially at thetime the perforating is effected and forming a flat fold at said line.

5. In combination, two frames rotatable about parallel axes, means torotate said frames in opposite directions, means including a pluralityof teeth arranged in a line on one of said frames and an anvil on theother of said frames to cooperate to form transverse lines ofperforations in superimposed plies of material passing between saidframes, jaws mounted on the same frame with said anvil and on oppositesides thereof and arranged to engage each other in front of said anvil,and means to open said aws before engagement of said anvil by said teethand to close the same to fold back said webs along each line ofperforations made by said teeth.

6. In combination, a narrow platen mounted to rotate about an axis, jawsat opposite sides of said platen, means for urging said jaws together atthe front of said platen, a toothed blade movable into and out ofengagement with said platen in a part of the path thereof to perforatematerial extending therebetween, means to open said aws as the platenapproaches a position for engagement by said knife and to release saidjaws immediately upon such engagement for folding said material alongthe line of perforation, and means to separate said jaws afterdisengagement of said blade from said platen.

7. In combination, a knife mounted to rotate about an axis, an anvilmovable to and from a position to cooperate with said knife to perforatematerial therebetween, jaws pivoted adjacent said anvil to movetherewith, means urging said jaws intoengagement in front of said anvil,means to open said jaws when said block approaches a position forengagement with said knife and for releasing said jaws, after engagementbetween said knife and said block, to fold said material over said knifeand remove it therefrom, and means to open said jaws upon separation ofsaid anvil and knife.

8. In combination, two parallel shafts, means for rotatin said shafts inopposite di rections at equal speeds, a frame on each of said shafts, atoothed member on one of said frames, a platen member on the other framefor engagement with said toothed member and means for adjusting one ofsaid members including screws interposed between said member and thecorresponding shaft.

9. In combination, two rotatable members, means for rotating saidmembers in opposite directions at the same speed, toothed blades andplaten members arranged alternately on said members for perforating,first from one side and then from the other, webs passing between saidrotatable members, jaws associated with each of said platen members andurged tmvard engagement across the face thereof, and means for openingeach pair of jaws as the adjacent platen approaches engagementwith thecorresponding toothed blade on the other rotatable member and permittingthe jaws to close after such blade and platen engagement, and for againopening said jaws after separation of the blade and platen.

10. In combination, means for perforating superimposed webs at aplurality of points in each of a succession of transverse lines acrossthe web comprising cooperating piercing and anvil members, and means forfolding and pressing said webs into a flat fold. along each line ofperforation concomitantly with the perforating action and alternately inopposite directions, and for swinging the webs back and forth to form apack in accordance with the direction in which the folds are formed.

11. In combination, a toothed blade, a platen member to cooperate withsaid blade to perforate along transverse lines superimposed webs passingthrough the device, means for mov ng said knife and platen memberstoward and. from each other, folding means associate l with said platenmember and including jaws for engaging said webs on opposite sides of aline of perforations substantially at the time the perforation iseffected and forming a flat fold at said line, and means for lfectingrelative adjustment between said jaws and said platen member 12. Incombination two frames rotatable about parallel axes, means to rotatesaid frames in opposite directions, means including a toothed knife onone of said frames and an anvil on the other of said frames to cooperateto form transverse lines of perforations in superimposed plies, ofmaterial passing between said frames, a connection between said knifeand the corresponding frame supporting the knife against radial movementbut permitting the knife to yield rearwardly with reference to thedirect-ion of rotation of the frame, jawsmounted on the same frame withsaid anvil and on opposite side thereof and arranged to engage eachother in front of said anvil, and means to open said jaws beforeengagement of said anvil by said toothed blade and to close the same tofold back said webs along said line of perforations substantially assoon as the latter is formed.

13. In combination, two parallel shafts, means for rotating said shaftsin opposite directions at equal speeds, a frame on each of said shafts,a toothed knife member on one of said frames, a platen member on theother frame for engagement with said knife, means for adjusting one ofsaid members including screws interposed between such member and thecorresponding shaft, and threaded into such member, and means forclamping the adjusted member in position including screws extendingthrough slots in said frame and threaded into the adjusted member.

14:. In combination, two rotatable mem bers, means for rotating saidmembers in opposite directions at the same speed, toothed blades andplaten members arranged alternately on said members for perforating,first from one side and then from the other webs passing between saidrotatable members, jaws associated with each of said platen members andurged toward engagen'ient across the face thereof, and means for openingeach pair of jaws as the adjacent platen member approaches engagementwith the corresponding toothed blade on the othe rotatable member andpermitting the jaws to close after such blade and platen engagement, andfor opening said jaws after separation of the blade and jaw, and meansfor effecting relative adjustment of said rotatable members around theiraxes to assure proper engagement of said blades and platen members.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature to this specification.

ABRAHAM NOVICK.

